Chemical Explosion, Apex, NC/Thousands Evacuated as Fire still Burns

[KoKo]

Chemicals, fire force N.C. evacuation

By WILLIAM L. HOLMES, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 15 minutes ago

APEX, N.C. - As many as 17,000 people were urged to flee homes on the outskirts of Raleigh early Friday as flames shot from a burning hazardous waste plant and a chlorine cloud rose high over the area.
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No employees were believed to have been inside the EQ Industrial Services plant when the fire and a series of explosions started late Thursday. Twenty-five people were taken to emergency rooms with respiratory problems, hospital officials said.

EQ Industrial Services handles a wide array of industrial waste, from paints to solvents, and houses chemicals such as chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, sulfur and fertilizer.

Because of the potential dangers in that mix, firefighters waited for daybreak to determine how to attack the blaze, officials said. Area schools and downtown Apex were closed Friday morning, and police blocked off streets into the area as the plant continued to burn.

"I believe the fire has gone down significantly as a result of having burned up a great deal of combustible material, and also the fact that the rain has helped dampen the fire a great deal," town manager Bruce Radford said mid-morning.

It wasn't immediately clear what had started the fire. The flames appeared to have jumped overnight to four petroleum tanks belonging to another company, which may have accounted for some of the explosions, Mayor Keith Weatherly said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061006/ap_on_re_us/plant_fire_evacuation;_ylt=AnTTZ_M2Jv5f2wPsArghFd2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-

[hatrack]

1. Yeah, four oil tanks, toxic wastes - eventually you'll get through it all

:eyes:

[loudsue]

2. Have you had any "funny" air in Raleigh? I'm further North & East

from Raleigh & Apex (next county over - Franklin Co.), and we're having some kind of weird air up here. One article said the rain was washing the dangerous chemicals to the ground, but I don't believe it. There's not enough rain going on -- just a light mist.

My eyes and nose are burning, and I'm about 30 miles away.

Are you ok?

:kick::kick::kick:

[KoKo]

6. Nothing in Raleigh, so far...

Said the wind had kept the fumes just to the evacuated area before the rain started. The wind had shiften South according to WRAL but no evacuations orders for that part of Apex were issued.

Is there someone in your town you could call? I'm closer to Apex than you but..who knows....

:hi:

[loudsue]

15. My husband's bro, his wife & kids were evacuated. Apex residents.

They're feeling the burning, too.

:kick:

[pecwae]

7. Southern Durham here

This a.m. there was a strange, acidic tang to the air.

[loudsue]

16. You, too?

Weird, huh?

Dontcha just love it that the shrub has fired almost all of the EPA staff over the past 5+ years? I believe there are something like 100 people at the EPA charged with overseeing all of the environmental problems in the entire USA now.

I hope you & yours will be ok!

:kick:

[OneGrassRoot]

22. Apex resident saying hi!

Just saw the thread and see other locals here. Wanted to say hi :hi:

I wasn't evacuated - I'm more towards Swift Creek area. Scary stuff though. Haven't checked news for a few hours, so I'll do that now.

Take care

[loudsue]

24. Hi timeforarevolution! There are a bunch of triangle DUers

and we need to have another meet-up soon! :hi:

I used to live in the Swift Creek area....many moons ago.

Stay safe!

:kick:

[pecwae]

28. Hi Neighbor!

:hi: Glad to hear you are ok!

[pecwae]

27. All ok

Hope you and all the other Triangle DU'ers are the same.

[merh]

11. I hope you are okay loudsue

go to the ER if the problems persist.

You guys be safe :hi:

[loudsue]

19. Thanks, Merh!

There have already been several people hospitalized in the Apex area. I'm wondering how they'll be treating this.

:hug: Thanks for your concern! :loveya:


:hi:

:kick::kick::kick:

[merh]

20. If it is okay, I'll include you and yours in my prayers

trying to bug the Big Guy now for folks in your area ;)

seriously, take good care and if you need anything, pmail away and all that! :hi:

:hug:

[loudsue]

25. You're the best, Merh!

:hug: The prayers are much appreciated. ;)

:kick::kick::kick:

[lectrobyte]

13. I'm in RTP, from what I hear, it seems to way overhyped

by the media. This is what I've been relying on for the most part http://www.wral.com and talking to coworkers who live in Apex, and were evacuated at 2am by their fire dept.

[KoKo]

14. Overhyped? How so? n/t

[lectrobyte]

17. Too much breathless and overwraught coverage. "overhyped"

is probably a poor word choice, but it seems like any time any little thing happens, the newscaster guys go into over-drama mode.

[KoKo]

30. I dunno about "overhype" when thousands of Apex Residents are spending

one more night in Shelters because of this Chem Explosion. It's kind of a "big inconvenience" if you get my drift? :shrug:

[loudsue]

21. Sounds to me like they're trying to play it down.

Those were some nasty chemicals according to the reports. Plus, if it did hit a couple of adjacent tanks, that just multiplies the problem.

I think there needs to be a thorough investigation -- not some cover-up for the benefit of this business.

:kick::kick::kick:

[lectrobyte]

23. Perhaps. I don't usually watch much TV news, so factor that in.

I'd definitely like to see a thorough investigation -- I and most people I've talked to had no idea this thing was there, even one of my cow orkers who lived about 1/2 mile from it.

[smoogatz]

3. Is it me, or have there been a lot of these explosions lately?

Wasn't there a big one down in Texas a while back? And a couple of others since then?

[malaise]

4. No fugging oversight

expect more.

[stepnw1f]

5. No Oversight Has Been the Theme for 5-6 years now.

Thanks to the GOP for deregulating everything!

[KoKo]

9. Plant was cited in March for violations and owns another plant in Illinois

that also had some problems. Local news is saying that the plant is inspected four times a month...last inspection Sept. 28th.

What's odd is that there was no one at the plant when it exploded. Don't Chemical Plants have "security guard" on duty all the time? Heck most office buildings have a security guard on duty so that no one was there seems odd.

They are worried about the waste being washed by the rain into the rivers and streams and they don't want to put it out for fear that the runnoff from what they need to use will further contaminate the area. So, they are going to let it burn out. Lot's of people will be in those shelters awhile, I think because they said it could take a couple of days and it's too hazardous to let people in to inspect.

[kestrel91316]

26. Security guards cost money. Gotta preserve those quarterly

increases in profits, you know.

Obviously by any means necessary.

[pecwae]

8. This is the same co. as the Detroit explosion. nt

[KoKo]

12. Could be...they have alot of Sites.....Here's the link to list of sites

if you are interested:

http://www.eqonline.com/contact/locations.asp

[Squatch]

10. Winds in Hampton Roads, VA are NNE....thank God

[truthisfreedom]

18. who needs terrorists when we have the EPA controlled by villians?

Pelosi should be on this immediately.

[KoKo]

29. Sounds like the Apex folks in shelters might be there overnight.........

I hope those who couldn't take their pets...left them food. I was glad to see that shelters were open to pets...pix of folks with dogs and cats. That was good to see after New Orleans.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

31. I'm glad to hear that the pets were with the evacuees.

I was wondering about that when I heard about the evacuation orders...

[KoKo]

34. I'd spend the night in my car on the side of the road on I-95 before I'd

leave my pets...so it's good they took them in. People today don't live necessarily close to relatives and their pets are like their children. When order comes to EVACUATE...that means kids and pets..as family. It's good to see that recognized.......

It's GREAT to see it recognized, actually...

[ncrainbowgrrl]

36. Same. We have 3 cats.

And I would never evacuate without them. Should we all need to evacuate, I guess I'll see you on the side of I-95- we have a DU sticker on the car!

About time they realized that pets are family.

[BootinUp]

32. chlorine cloud, thats fairly serious.

[David Zephyr]

33. I have friends in Apex.

I hope that there is a real toxic investigation. This stuff just should not be happening anymore.

[Imagevision]

35. google the question! "does Walmart own Target"